Without question, the AUSL (Athletes Unlimited Softball League) made a major impact in its inaugural season Softball saw a surge in attendance as fans packed stadiums across the U.S. and watching it on their televisions and devices.
Given the growth of the fanbase, the AUSL is now expanding its teams with two new editions. The league announced on Wednesday that the Oklahoma City Spark and the Cascade will be joining with the Talons, Bandits, Volts, and Blaze.
Oklahoma City will maintain its leadership structure as is and will be the softball host city for the Olympics in 2028. Tina Floyd, the Spark founder, will be the executive director. Also, head coach Amber Flores will remain in her role as Destinee McElroy is the COO (Chief Operating Officer).
time for the 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 ⚡️ @theAUSLofficial #BeTheSpark pic.twitter.com/OXojnX4P02
— Oklahoma City Spark | AUSL (@ausl_spark) November 12, 2025
Kirk Walker, an assistant coach for the Talons, will be the squad’s general manager. Walker spent over two decades with UCLA softball, winning seven National Championships as an assistant coach. He also spent 18 seasons with Oregon State and is the team’s all-time winningest coach.
It’s important to note that the AUSL will be have a city-based look in the 2026 season.
How The Rosters Will Look For The Spark and Cascade in 2026
For the Spark, all of the current players and their contracts are expired this year as the team will look different next year. The players formerly on the roster will have the chance to be selected in a pool of players.
In the first draft, the Spark and Cascade will choose unprotected players using a snake format during the Expansion Draft. A coin toss will decide who gets the first pick as eight rounds are the maximum and six as the minimum.
At the conclusion of the Expansion Draft, an Allocation will take place on Dec. 1. Here, players who have opted in ahead of the Nov. 24 deadline are eligible. This includes players from other professional softball leagues, leagues spanning the globe, and players in the AUSL Reserve Pool.
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